Chicago joining 5 cities to cut school food costs

CHICAGO – Chicago Public Schools officials say they have a new plan to reduce the cost of serving millions of meals a year.

They're going to join forces with some of the nation's largest school districts in the Urban School Food Alliance. The new group includes school districts from New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Miami and Orlando, Fla.

Officials say the districts will use their joint purchasing power to cut the price of buying food and to work with food vendors to create nutritious menus.

The districts together buy more than $530 million in food and food service supplies and serve 462 million meals annually.

CPS is the nation's third-largest district and buys $109 million in food and supplies, and serves approximately 70 million breakfasts and lunches each year.